'Avoid all travel': US issues advisory against India as COVID-19 cases surge

The United States has issued a level-4 travel health notice for India as Covid-19 cases see an alarming spike in the country, said the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs on Wednesday.

"Because of the current situation in India even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants and should avoid all travel to India," a notice read.

US issues advisory against India

It added that US citizens who must travel to India are strongly urged to get fully vaccinated before travel and continue to take personal health safety measures to protect themselves.

The US' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had on Tuesday issued travel recommendations for fully vaccinated travellers.

"If you are fully vaccinated, then do not have to get tested before leaving the United States, unless your destination requires it and you do not have to self-quarantine after you arrive in the United States," it read.

The US State Department has added about 100 countries since Tuesday to its "do not travel" advisory list, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Mexico and Germany.

The United Kingdom has already added India to its travel "red list" on a precautionary basis after reporting 103 cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in India.

Health secretary Matt Hancock said that effective from 0300 GMT on Friday, all arrivals from India were being banned except for the UK and Irish nationals.

The situation in India has been deteriorating amid the second wave of coronavirus infections. For the past few days, the country has been reporting in excess of two lakh cases.

India clocked in over 2.95 lakh new Covid-19 cases and 2,023 deaths in the 24 hours that got over on Wednesday. The cumulative caseload of the country rose to 1.56 crore while the death toll went up to 1.82 lakh.

There are 21.57 lakh active cases in the country currently.

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